Electric timepiece

ABSTRACT

An electric timepiece inclusive of a flexible resonator wherein a vibrating flexible blade drives a ratchet counting wheel in a step-by-step manner through the intermediary of a pawl.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Remy Chopard;

' Rene Besson, both of Neuchatel, Switzerland 15,029

Feb. 27, 1970 Dec. 21, 1971 [21 App]. No. [22] Filed [45 Patented [7 3] Assignee Ebauches S. A. [32] Priority Mar. I7, 1969 [3 3] Switzerland [541 ELECTRIC TIMEPIECE 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 58/28 D,

511 1m. 01 co 3/00 [50] Field of Search 58/23. 23 D, 23 V, 23 TF;3l0/37 [56] References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 1,121,419 7/1968 GreatBritain 58/23D Primary Examiner--Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Edith C. Simmons Attorneys-Kenwood Ross and Chester E. Flavin ABSTRACT: An electric timepiece inclusive of a'- flexible resonator wherein a vibrating flexible blade drives a ratchetcounting wheel in a step-by step manner through the intermediary of a pawl.

PATENTEU 05221 I971 SHEET 1 BF 3 INVENTOR, CHOPA RD BESSON Re'my md Hen:

BY amma day/5.

PATENTEDHE021 19m SHEET 2 [IF 3 INVENTOR. Hc'my CHOPARD and Fiane' BESSON mm w flute/164 mm PATENTED BEBE] l9?! SHEET 3 OF 3 FIG. 3

INVENTOR,

Ba'my CHOPAPD and Rene. BESSON ELECTRIC'TIMEPIECE The present invention provides an electric timepiece with a flexure resonator in which at least one vibrating flexible blade drives in a step by step manner, by the intermediary of a pawl, a ratchet counting wheel, which is responsive to the action of a retaining pawl.

This electric timepiece is characterized by the fact that the retaining pawl is secured to a small plate which is elastically applied, by means of a circular notch provided therein, against a journal carried by an element of the frame of the movement, a setting device acting on the small plate for rotating it around the journal and thus modifying the position of the retaining pawl with the respect to the driving pawl.

The drawing shows, by way of example, one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view, from above, of the movement of an electric wrist watch.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along line II-II of FIG. 1, at an enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is a plan view, from below, of a portion of the movement separated from the rest thereof, according a broken plan, the shape of which is indicated by the line IIIIII of FIG. 2.

FIG. I, at an enlarged scale, and,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a detail, also at an enlarged scale.

The watch movement comprises a baseplate l carrying the conventional mechanical elements of the movement, especially the gearing which, on the other side, is carried by a gearing bridge 2, visible at FIG. 2 only, secured to the baseplate by screws 3 provided with conical bearing surfaces.

The frame of the movement also comprises a second baseplate 4, removably secured to the baseplate l, on the upper face thereof, above the gearing bridge 2, and held in place by means ofsecuring screws 5 (FIG. 1).

This baseplate 4, the shape of which has been represented by a reinforced line in FIG. 1, is represented as being viewed from below in FIG. 3. It carries the whole driving and regulating devices, that is the mechanical and electrical portions of the movement of the watch.

This driving-regulating device comprises a flexible symmetrical resonator 6, secured to the baseplate 4 by means of screws 7, the flexible arms 6a of which carry, at their free ends, the movable elements 8 of a transductor, the fixed elements of which are constituted by two driving windings 9. The flexible arms 6a carry moreover, likely at the neighborhood of their free ends, and secured by pins 10, rigid arms 11 ending in enlarged portions 11a, as balanced weights, and carrying balancing masses 12. These latter, which have the shape of three arm stars, are asymmetric since one of their arms is provided with a notch 13. Thus, by rotating these masses, one modifies the position of the center of gravity of each of these two symmetric portions of the resonator, thus permitting adjustment of its frequency. The two enlarged portions 11a of the rigid arms 11 are each provided with a graduation 14 (FIG. 1), thus permitting control of the position of the masses 12 and facilitating the setting operations.

The sustaining of the oscillations of the resonator 6 is effected electrically by means of a transistorized electronic circuit fed by an electric battery 15 (FIG. 1) located in an arc shaped recess 16 provided in the baseplate 4 and in a circular recess 17 provided in the baseplate 1. These two recesses are coaxial, when the two baseplates are assembled to each other, thus providing a circular partition intended to receive the battery 15 which occupies, substantially, the whole height of the movement.

The battery is maintained in place by two straps which also insure the electric connection of the battery with the electronic circuit; these two straps are constituted by elastic blades, one of which designated by 18, is secured to the baseplate l by a screw 19, and the other of which, designed by 20, is secured to the baseplate 4 by means hereafter disclosed. The strap 18 insures the connection of the positive terminal of the battery 15 with the mass of the movement and the strap 20 insures the connection of the negative terminal of the battery with one of the terminals of the electronic circuit.

The electronic sustaining circuit of the oscillations of the resonator comprises two different electronic blocks, each comprising a small plate 21, respectively 22, secured to the baseplate 4, under the latter, by means of screws 23. These small plates have been reinforced in FIG. 3 to help increase the clarity of the drawing.

Each of the electronic blocks comprises one of the two driving windings 9 and a portion of the electronic components of the circuit; one of the blocks comprises a pickup winding combined with one of the two windings 9. The tow electronic blocks, the small plates 21 and 22 of which are made of insulating material, are constituted by circuits which are realized, according to a technique known per se, by cutting a conductive metallic sheet so as to constitute a gate, by embedding this gate into the insulating material of the small plates, as a moulding operation, then by cutting the edges of the gate so as to separate one from the others; the electronic components are welded to the gate after the moulding and the cutting of the edges thereof.

FIG. 3 shows, by way of example, three metallic tongues 24 which constitute the terminals of three constitutive elements of the circuit, protruding laterally on the edge of the small plate 21, and a metallic ton'gue25 constituting also a connecting tenninal of the circuit, protruding laterally on the edge of the small plate 22.

The strap 20 maintains in place the battery 15 and insures the electric connection of the negative terminal of the battery, is riveted at 26 (FIG. 1 and 3) to the small plate 21 and is welded at one of the elements of the gate constituting the circuit.

So far as the connection of the circuit with the positive terminal of the battery is concerned, which positive terminal as it has been stated hereabove is the mass, it is insured by a pin 27 (FIG. 1 and 3) carried by metallic tongue 25, with which is normally in contact an elastic blade 28 carried by the baseplate 4. This blade passes in a notch provided in a bent portion 29a of a lever 29 mounted on the baseplate 4 and guided in itsdisplacements, according to the arrows 30 of FIG. 1 and 3, by two pins 31 carried by the baseplate 4 and passing through elongated openings 32 of this lever.

This latter is provided with a fork shaped portion between the arms 29b of which is engaged a pin 33 (FIG. 1) carried by the setting lever of the movement, not represented. When the setting pin, designated by 34 (FIG. 1), is moved longitudinally, the pin 33 moves along the direction of arrow 35, thus producing the displacements of the lever 29 in the direction of the arrow 30, the return of the lever in the reverse direction being insured by the elastic blade 28, serving as a return spring.

The arrangement is such that, when the setting stem occupies its rest position, in which it is entirely pushed, (the position represented in the drawing), the blade 28 is in contact with the pin 27, closing the electric sustaining circuit of the oscillations of the resonator; it is the same when the setting stem 34 occupies its intermediary position of date setting of a date indicating element, not shown, owing to the play of the pin 33 between the arms 2% of the fork of the lever 29, while, when the stem 34 is entirely pulled, in a setting position, the lever 29 is displaced towards the center of the movement, against the resilient action of the blade 28, that separates this blade from the pin 27 and thus interrupts the feeding of the sustaining circuit.

The counting of the oscillations of the resonator 6 is effected by means of a ratchet wheel 36 provided with a very fine toothing, rotating between the baseplate 4 and a small plate 37 (FIG. 3) secured under the baseplate 4 by two screws 38; the shape of this small plate has been reinforced in FIG. 3 to help increase the clearness of the drawing.

A pawl 39, secured at 40 on one of the portions 11a of the resonator 6, acts on the wheel 36 for rotating it by one tooth upon each oscillation of the resonator. The other portion 1 la of the resonator carries a pin 41 insuring the balancing of the pin 40.

A second pawl, Le. a retaining pawl, designated by 42, acts on the wheel 36. This second pawl is carried by a small plate 43 subject to the action of a screw 44, screwed in a stud car- 'ried by the baseplate 4, this screw acting laterally on the small plate for maintaining it applied, by a circular notch thereof, against a pin 45, constituting a journal, carried by the baseplate 4, and for maintaining an elastic arm 43 a of the small plate applied against a'pin 46 carried by the baseplate 4.

The small plate 43 is prevented from being lifted on the one hand by a head 45a provided on the pin 45a and on the other hand by a head 47a provided on a second pin, designated by 47, of smaller sectional section than the pin 45; engaged with play into an opening 48 having the shape of a button hole, provided in the small plate. The portion of great diameter of the button hole 48 permits the head 47a of pin 47 to pass through in view of the mounting and dismounting of the small plate. The orientation of the button hole 48 precludes, when the small plate 43 is put in place, any risk of damage to the toothing of the wheel 36, since the positioning, in height and in plane, of the small plate is effected before the pawl 42 enters into contact with the wheel.

The arrangement allows modification by means of the screw 44, of the position of the retaining pawl 42, and adjustment thereby, with high precision, of the relative position of the two pawls, the driving pawl 39 and the retaining pawl 42, meaning the dephasing thereof.

Owing to the type of mounting of the small plate 43, no articulating play is produced, the small plate being permanently bearing against pin 45 under the effect of its resilient arm 43a and of the screw 44.

The radial pressure exerted by the two pawls 39 and 42 on the counting wheel 36 has to be precisely adjusted.

To this effect, the movement is provided with a calibrated gauge 49 (FIG. 4 and located, when it is not being used, in a circular partition 50 provided in the baseplate 4, and being closed by the baseplate 1 when the movement is mounted.

The adjustment of the pressure of the pawls on the counting wheel is effected when the baseplate 4 is separated from the baseplate 1. The gauge 49 is then accessible and can be withdrawn from the partition 50 for engagement in the bore, designated by S1, of the baseplate 4 containing the upper bearing, designated by 52, of the counting wheel 36, after this wheel has been removed (FIG. 5). The height of the bore 51 is sufficient to permit the engagement of an extension 490 of the gauge into this bare, below the bearing 52. The extension 49a is annular, having the shape of a collar, so as to be slightly resilient and thereby to be frictionally engageable in the bore 51 The diameter of the gauge is slightly less than that of the wheel 36, the difference being such that, when the pawls 39 and 42 are in contact with the gauge, without exerting thereon any pressure, the tension thereof, when the counting wheel 36 is substituted to the gauge, has the desired value. The gauge 49 in reserve in the partition 50, is thus always at the disposal of the repairman. This gauge is provided, besides the collar 49a by means of which it is engaged either in the bore 51 of the baseplate 4 or in a circular recess 53, of the same diameter as the bore 51, provided in the bottom of the partition 50, with a central button 49b, situated on the opposite face to the one provided with the collar 49a, which permits manipulation thereof by means of tweezers.

The transmission of the intermittent rotative movements, step by step, of the ratchet wheel 36 to the indicating elements of the watch, i.e. to the hours, minutes and seconds, is insured by a pinion 57 rigid with the wheel 36 (FIG. 2) meshing with a wheel 58 rigid with a pinion 59 engaged, with a very slight play, in a bearing 60 carried by the small plate 37; the lower spindle of the element 58-59 is carried, when the movement is mounted, by a bearing 61 mounted on the baseplate 1.

The pinion 59 meshes with a wheel 62 which is axially pressed, by an arched elastic washer 63, against a pinion 64 mounted on seconds shaft, at the center of the movement, designated by 65.

The friction coupling constituted by the elastic washer 63 and the elements which are associated thereto ensures the protection of the counting ratchet mechanism 39-36 which could be deteriorated if a reverse direction effort is applied to the counting wheel 36, for example when the seconds hand is put into place.

Wire spring 66 acts on a pulley 67 mounted on the shaft 65 and acts as a brake of the seconds hand.

The pinion 64 drives a wheel 68 axially pressed by an arched elastic washer 69 against a disk 70 rigid with a pinion 71 rotatably mounted between the baseplate l and the gearing bridge 2.

The friction coupling constituted by the elastic washer 69 and the elements which are associated therewith operates like the indenting of a conventional watch and permits the setting of the watch without exerting any action on the regulating elements.

The pinion 71 meshes with the minutes wheel, designated by 72, which is rotatably mounted on a sleeve 73 carried by the baseplate 1 and which controls, by the intermediary of the conventional dial train, not represented, the hour wheel designated by 74.

As a matter of fact, this arrangement allows the mounting of each module separately and the testing of same before assembly.

For instance, any alteration of the counting ratchet device, which could occur in spite of the friction coupling of the spring 63, when the hands of the watch are put in place or during accidental grazings during the mounting operations is precluded.

One can even put the conventional portion into the casing of the watch, i.e. the baseplate 1, provided with the gearing bridge 2 and all the mechanical elements carried thereby, before the driving-regulating module, constituted by the baseplate 4 and all the mechanical and electric elements carried thereby is assembled thereto.

This arrangement permits the repairman to open the watch, to withdraw the battery therefrom, to withdraw the module of the baseplate 4 and to handle it per se, for instance for changing one or the other of the electronic blocks, without touching the resonator 6 and without having to reset the counting ratchet device 39-36.

It is to be noted that the tests of the driving regulating portion are effected when this portion is not assembled to the module of the baseplate l, with the gearing 60, traversed by the pinion 59, holding the pinion in place when the module of the baseplate 4 is separated from the module of the baseplate 1. That permits, while connecting the two terminals of the electronic circuit to a source of current, operation of the driving-regulating group, that is to say the resonator 6 and the counting mechanism, independently of the rest of the movement.

What we claim is:

1. In an electric timepiece with a flexible resonator in which at least one vibrating flexible blade drives in a step-by-step manner and by the intermediary of a pawl a ratchet counting wheel which is submitted to the action of a retaining pawl, with a retaining pawl being secured to a small plate resiliently applied against a journal carried by an element of the frame of the movement and with a setting device acting on the small plate for rotating it around the journal and modifying the position of the retaining pawl with'respect to the driving pawl, the improvement consisting of the small plate being loosely traversed by a holding pin provided with a head insuring against lifting.

2. In the electric timepiece as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the small plate is provided with a button hole-shaped opening the portion of largest diameter of which permits the passage of the head of the holding pin, thus allowing placement and removal of the small plate.

3,628,324 t I 6 3. In the electric timepiece as claimed in claim 1, characdamaging the toothing of the counting wheel' is prevented, tel'ilcd y the fact that the j n is Provided with a head owing to the fact that the positioning in height and in plane of lending on the Plan; f precluqmg f the small plate is effected before the pawl is in contact with 4. In the electric timeplece as claimed in claim 2, characthe wheel terizedby the fact that the button hole is oriented in such a 5 way that any risk, when the small plate is put in place, of 

1. In an electric timepiece with a flexible resonator in which at least one vibrating flexible blade drives in a step-by-step manner and by the intermediary of a pawl a ratchet counting wheel which is submitted to the action of a retaining pawl, with a retaining pawl being secured to a small plate resiliently applied against a journal carried by an element of the frame of the movement and with a setting device acting on the small plate for rotating it around the journal and modifying the position of the retaining pawl with respect to the driving pawl, the improvement consisting of the small plate being loosely traversed by a holding pin provided with a head insuring against lifting.
 2. In the electric timepiece as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the small plate is provided with a button hole-shaped opening the portion of largest diameter of which permits the passage of the head of the holding pin, thus allowing placement and removal of the small plate.
 3. In the electric timepiece as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the journal is provided with a head extending on the small plate for precluding lifting.
 4. In the electric timepiece as claimed in claim 2, characterized by the fact that the button hole is oriented in such a way that any risk, when the small plate is put in place, of damaging the toothing of the counting wheel is prevented, owing to the fact that the positioning in height and in plane of the small plate is effected before the pawl is in contact with the wheel. 